Warriors Stories Plus
by Fortune Maiden
Summary: Tales of valor, friendship, honor, love, and all around fun told in bite-sized 100-word stories.
1. Batch 1

**Warriors Stories Plus**

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><p><em>Tales of valor, friendship, hardship, love, and all around fun told in bite-sized 100-word stories.<em>

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><p><strong>Rivalry<strong>

Hojo Ujiyasu and Narita Ujinaga were more than simply lord and retainer—they were also very close friends. There was no man Ujinaga respected more than Ujiyasu and there was no man Ujiyasu trusted more than Ujinaga. Whether they were leading troops on the battlefield, receiving guests from other provinces, or even just lazing about: drinking tea or fishing; the two of them got along beautifully. They were of one mind and nothing would ever drive a wedge between them.

_But, _there was indeed one small matter they could never _ever _agree on.

"My daughter is cuter than your daughter!"

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><p><strong>Pet<strong>

Kai was with some Hojo retainers on a hunting trip when she found him. They had just finished killing a bear when a little cub wandered into the clearing, and the guilt-ridden retainers instantly realized they'd just killed a mother. Knowing the cub wouldn't survive by itself, someone moved to kill it too. Horrified, Kai intervened and hugged the bear, declaring then and there that she would become its new mother.

Later, when Ujiyasu heard the story, somewhere between lecturing her and laughing his head off, he never actually said she couldn't keep the little guy.

Kai named him Ujikuma.

* * *

><p><strong>Weapon<strong>

Mitsunari, Kiyomasa, and Masanori were miserable. It was an extremely hot day and the kids couldn't find any way to cool off. Kiyomasa rested his head against the corner wall, Mitsunari absently fanned himself and Masanori complained. Loudly.

His whining made the heat more intolerable. The others tried to ignore it, but their patience was quickly running out.

"Shut up!" Mitsunari snapped and at that moment accidentally released his fan. It zipped around the room, smacked Masanori upside the head and then magically returned into its stunned owner's hand.

Kiyomasa broke the ensuing silence, "That could make a good weapon."

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><p><strong>Savior<strong>

"No, please! Reconsider!" His final pleas fell on deaf ears and he found himself literally thrown out of the castle by a retainer who ordered him to quiet down before he was cut down. Toshiie was shaking. Exile! What was he going to do now!

He banged on the castle gates, not caring that the rain was beating down hard on him. He yelled until his voice was raw and his knees gave out. But he wouldn't move from that spot.

Suddenly, someone threw a straw raincoat over him.

"Come."

The extended hand belonged to Shibata Katsuie. Toshiie took it.

* * *

><p><strong>Prank<strong>

"Hide me!" Mitsuhide barely had time to acknowledge the words before a panicked Hanbei burst into his room and quickly stuffed himself into the closet. He understood moments later, when a red-faced Tatsuoki appeared yelling for the strategist.

An exasperated Mitsuhide was able to send him off, after which Hanbei poked his head out.

"What did you do _this_ time?" Mitsuhide wasn't amused.

Hanbei laughed nervously. "I might've _accidentally_ hinted to a couple of young ladies that our dear Lord Tatsuoki is somewhat… underequipped for a Lord, if you know what I mean."

Mitsuhide sighed. Next time he wouldn't bother.

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><p><strong>Orders<strong>

"I'm afraid Lord Masamune is dreadfully ill today. He absolutely mustn't get out of bed. Please relate our sincerest apologies."

With those all too chipper words, Kojuro sent the Shogun's messenger on his way and returned to his Lord's bedside, a growing smirk on his face.

"Is he gone?" Masamune groaned miserably from under the covers.

"Yes, my Lord." Masamune's good eye peeked out.

"Good. Kojuro, this is an order: Wipe that smirk off your face. And never let me drink again!"

Kojuro just rolled his eyes, still smiling. Like he hadn't heard that one before.

"Of course, Lord Masamune."

* * *

><p><strong>Smile<strong>

He wasn't a handsome man, he didn't have status, and he was clearly a womanizer. At a glance, it was impossible to understand what Nene saw in him, and why she married him.

Nene wondered that herself. She was a smart girl and knew that Hideyoshi would be a troublesome husband, but when he asked for her hand, she couldn't say "No".

Because…

He wasn't handsome, but he was charming. He didn't have much, but he was a hard worker. He was flirtatious, but he could learn.

But most importantly, Hideyoshi made Nene smile. And that meant most to her.

* * *

><p><strong>Gamble<strong>

"CHESTOOOOO!"

With an all too familiar motion, Ginchiyo effortlessly repelled Toyohisa's latest ambush and gave him an unimpressed look. As usual, he praised her skill and promised to get her next time.

The brat was certainly persistent. This was what, the third time this week already?

From a safe distance away, Muneshige and Yoshihiro watched the scene with some amusement.

"What do you say, Devil? Care to wager when Toyohisa will finally land a hit on her?"

Yoshihiro shook his head. "My boy, there are losing odds, and then," he watched Ginchiyo send his nephew flying, "there are _losing_ odds."

* * *

><p><strong>System <strong>

Motonari had a system. It made no sense to anyone else (his sons included) but it was there, and he took great pride in it.

He could locate any book in any of his giant stacks with absolute ease. It was one of his lesser known talents.

But having piles and piles of books lying around proved disadvantageous as well. As Motonari stared at the book avalanche he'd caused, he knew he was in for a dreadful afternoon of cleaning up.

The problem with having a system that only you knew, was that no one but you could maintain it…

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><p><strong>Appearances<strong>

If there was one thing Hanbei was concerned about, it was who besides him could get along with Kanbei. Then in Tetorigawa, he was struck with inspiration.

"Hey Lord Kanbei, what do you think of Uesugi's Lady Aya? I think you two would go well together."

Kanbei was speechless. Hanbei continued,

"I mean, you're scary looking but are actually pretty nice, and she's nice looking but is actually pretty scary. Perfect fit, right?"

It then occurred to Kanbei that Hanbei and Aya may have been pretty similar themselves… and he may as well have been the Kanetsugu to Hanbei's Aya.

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><p><strong>AN:** Thank you for reading :)

I started writing these back in June and have been slowly writing more and more of these until I had at least 1 for _every_ character. So now I'll be slowly posting these in batches of ten. I'm hoping to have 100 at the end (since that's a nice number).

Some of these will be funny, some are sad-ish, some are cute, some are historical-based... and some are me making terrible jokes (like the voice actor joke above) or parodying something...I tend to draw ideas from pretty much everywhere: SW canon, seiyuu events, historical trivia etc...

I'm sorting these a bit randomly, so that I have a good mix of genres in each batch and use as many characters as possible but just for a bit of fun, I'll include the writing order # just as a reference for when each drabble was written compared to the others:

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 19, 31, 24, 7

The reason I'm not posting them in order is because thanks to my biases, there'd would be several drabbles featuring the same characters in a row and I want variety. I left 1-5 alone though because I am way too used to having those in that order (after all that editing and reviewing...).

I'd love to hear any feedback and hope you keep reading :)


	2. Batch 2

**Work Habits**

Hanbei's work ethic made no sense to Kanbei sometimes. The genius strategist always seemed to do things in reverse. He lazed about on the castle rooftops when he was well enough to work, and diligently worked at his desk when he was obviously ill and needed rest.

It was harrowing to watch, but Kanbei never questioned him. Hanbei's work was always finished despite all signs pointing to the contrary. Kanbei didn't even pretend to understand it. He found such a habit counterproductive.

But he always quietly draped a blanket over Hanbei whenever he ended up falling asleep at his desk.

* * *

><p><strong>Housemate<strong>

Katsuie had lived alone for a very long time. Though he often dreamed about settling down with a family, his work left little time to spare for such luxuries.

Taking Toshiie into his care proved to break the monotony his bachelor lifestyle instilled in him. Katsuie no longer had to do absolutely everything himself; Toshiie was always very eager to help out.

However, Katsuie quickly discovered that Toshiie's help was _definitely_ not needed for certain tasks… like cooking.

One blown up stove was all it took for Katsuie to ban Toshiie from the kitchen for the duration of his stay.

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><p><strong>Training<strong>

The Honda Style of Training was not for the weak.

Ieyasu stared at the obstacle course Tadakatsu designed for his young daughter in wide-eyed horror. Grown men could've lost limbs on that thing!

Tadakatsu stared at it with pride, oblivious to his Lord's dread. _His_ daughter would have no problem with such a course.

Ina (somehow) made it through the death trap unharmed. Ieyasu's knees nearly gave out from relief, but Tadakatsu was critical. She took too long.

Ina was ordered to keep going until she halved her time. Ieyasu never asked to spectate a Honda Style training session again.

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><p><strong>Games<strong>

Mitsuhide was the worst person to play anything with, Ranmaru decided.

No matter what the two of them played, there was always a peculiar pattern. First Mitsuhide would win, and then his playing would slowly get worse and worse.

It made it increasingly difficult for Ranmaru to intentionally lose out of politeness.

And it frustrated him. With anyone else, he'd have easily brushed it off, but with Mitsuhide, losing felt like an increasingly competitive sport.

_Wait_.

"Lord Mitsuhide," Ranmaru said testily, "Please refrain from intentionally playing badly. It's annoying."

Mitsuhide looked up startled, but then cooly answered,

"After you, Ranmaru."

* * *

><p><strong>Spirit<strong>

With parasol in hand, Okuni walked along the perimeter of the castle. Earlier, it had been the site of a brutal battle: the castle was lost and the army that tried to save it was devestated. Now all that remained on the battlefield were the souls of the fallen, and it was Okuni's role to give them their respite.

As she danced, their laments entered her heart and she comforted them. One soul cries stood out among the others. The defeated general's inconsolible guilt echoed across the field.

_If I'd only been able to act in time…_

Okuni kept dancing.

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><p><strong>Confidence<strong>

It was… skimpy. The armor her grandfather left her—the one he said every head of the Ii Clan wore was rather… _poorly designed_, in Naotora's humble opinion.

Furthermore, it looked rather new and distinctly feminine looking. But Naotora was the _first_ female Clan Head…

She didn't like the thought but… Naotora was certain her grandfather tricked her.

Seeing herself in the "armor" made her red with shame. She couldn't wear _that_!

But maybe—maybe the armor had its purpose. If she got used to it and other people staring at her in it…

…maybe she could gain some self-confidence.

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><p><strong>Fishing<strong>

Mitsunari once promised Sakon he would go fishing with him. Like many other things, it went unfulfilled due to work, but Sakon never actually forgot about it. So on one particularly quiet day, Mitsunari wound up accompanying his retainer to the pond.

He carefully watched Sakon work. Bait on the hook, hook in the water, and then reel in the catch. It wasn't anything difficult. And yet…

"My Lord, would you like some help putting the worm on?" Sakon was making fun of him. But Mitsunari had no complaints when he also offered to take the fish off the hook.

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><p><strong>Sports Team<strong>

Imagawa Yoshimoto had a dream. He wanted to spread kemari all over the world. There was only person who truly supported him though: his adorable niece, Hayakawa.

Hayakawa was quite the athletic girl herself with a fondness for dakyu. It really warmed Yoshimoto's heart to see his athletic passions resonate in his beloved sister's daughter.

"If only wars were settled through sports," Hayakawa lamented.

"Yes! Dear niece, we should team up to make our dream a reality!" Yoshimoto cheered, "Let us invite Azai Nagamasa as well. He too wields a weapon of sport!" Hayakawa nodded.

Elsewhere, Nagamasa felt a chill.

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><p><strong>Lost<strong>

She was lost again.

She didn't mean to get lost. She tried to stay close to the castle!

But somehow it wound up out of her sight and then she couldn't find it anymore.

Tears pooled in Oichi's eyes. How long until someone found her this time?

Before her first tear could fall though, a familiar voice called her name and her brother's comforting figure came into view. Once again, he came to her rescue! Oichi ran to him and buried her face in his chest sobbing loudly as he pat her head.

"Ichi," he said calmly, "Let's go home."

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><p><strong>Bonding<strong>

It was simple curiosity, really, that led Kunoichi to find herself hiding in the ceiling above Shingen's dojo, spying on the room's occupants. Lately, Shingen had been calling Yukimura in for private training sessions, that left both of them both extremely energized, and neither of them would tell her what exactly they were doing. So, she decided to see for herself.

Carefully, she removed a tile, and peeked inside.

"Yukimura!"

"Your Lordship!"

"Yukimura!"

"Your Lordship!"

"YUKIMURA!"

"YOUR LORDSHIP!"

They were just standing there and yelling dramatically.

Kunoichi replaced the tile and slinked away. Some bonding rituals were better left unquestioned.

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><p><strong>AN: **Writing Order: 6, 43, 59, 15, 16, 18, 60, 48, 26, 11 (Although to be honest, "Work Habits" was actually the first one written overall (to no one's surprise, I'm sure) ^^")

Some Notes:

"Confidence": I believe this is the (terrible) in-game reason for Naotora's horrible outfit... I _really_ hope she gets something better next time and let's leave it at that.

"Sports Team": Two things of note here, Hayakawa's weapon is a dakyu stick not a lacrosse stick, but according to my research her dakyu stick is based on the late Edo period model. The Sengoku era version is apparently more like a polo stick (ie it looks more like a mallet). And of course, Nagamasa's weapon is a jousting lance hence his inclusion in the sports team.

"Bonding": I am so sorry.


	3. Batch 3

**Festival**

Ranmaru should have been upset about this. Considering his complex about being mistaken for a girl, he _really_ should have resisted being forced into the kimono.

But when it came up, he couldn't utter a single protest. It was a request from his Lord, after all!

Nobunaga laughed as the final touches of his own costume were completed. Ranmaru had to admit, his Lord made a very beautiful woman, but such an outfit was so…

"Come Oran," Nobunaga said, "The festival awaits."

Well, Ranmaru supposed it was alright just this once. Carefully lifting his gown, he followed after Nobunaga, smiling.

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><p><strong>Abridging <strong>

Motonari's books were a headache. That wasn't an opinion. His books were so thick and dense that no one could get through a single volume without many frustrated tears. Takakage suspected that the author himself preferred not to review his works either.

For Motonari's sons, they were (of course) required reading, and Motonari was always hounding for detailed feedback so faking it was not an option.

The solution?

Takakage shed a tear as he finished outlining the latest chapter for his brothers. It was a hassle to do and probably cheating, but he couldn't wish his father's books on _anyone_.

* * *

><p><strong>Wingman <strong>

The key to picking up women, was to have a good wingman. Unfortunately, these were turbulent times, so those were in short supply.

Hideyoshi may have been a good friend, but his womanizing reputation and increasingly skilled ninja-wife did not exactly attract the ladies. Instead, it scared them. Badly.

Sakon was even worse. Apparently the "rugged retainer" look was more popular than "roguish mercenary" these days. Truly sad times.

Masamune was—No. Never again. Ditto for that glasses-wearing babysitter of his.

And the next time Magoichi let Gracia be his wingman, would be the day he gave up women altogether!

* * *

><p><strong>Festival II <strong>

Noh couldn't remember the last time she'd enjoyed herself this much. She hadn't played with dolls since she was a child, so she had forgotten how much fun it could be.

Of course, this "doll" was none other than her favorite crybaby strategist.

He'd tried to escape at first, but upon realizing he couldn't win against her, Hanbei reluctantly submitted and was left to mutter Sun Tzu passages under his breath while Noh dressed him up in Oichi's childhood kimonos.

"There, finished," she grinned, basking in Hanbei's misery.

Oh, she _really_ couldn't wait to show him off at the festival!

* * *

><p><strong>Hostage<strong>

Being a hostage wasn't so bad, Ieyasu decided. It definitely wasn't something he planned to be for the rest of his life, but he couldn't say he hated it.

When he stayed with the Oda, Nobunaga was like an older brother to him. It was always fun to join him on his various adventures.

The Imagawa weren't so bad either. Yoshimoto was certainly… odd, and it was clear that things like _ruling his province _didn't particularly interest him, but Ieyasu couldn't deny that he had learned a lot from Yoshimoto.

He could play a mean game of kemari, for one.

* * *

><p><strong>Pretend<strong>

Takahashi Joun was dead.

His sacrifice was inevitable for the greater good, but it was still painful. Even Ginchiyo couldn't hide her sorrow.

All throughout his funeral, Muneshige refused to make eye contact with her or anyone else, and Ginchiyo worried about him.

She caught up with him on the balcony, unsure of how to proceed. Should she say something? Reach for him?

"Don't worry," Muneshige said, "He was a good man, but I have no reason to grieve him."

Ginchiyo nodded. If Muneshige would pretend he was alright, Ginchiyo would pretend there weren't tears falling when he said this.

* * *

><p><strong>Babysitting<strong>

Nagamasa and Oichi had the cutest kids. The girls were just as beautiful as their mother, and the boy was every bit his father's son.

However, when Nagamasa asked Yoshitsugu and Takatora if they could watch his kids for one afternoon… Takatora shouldn't have agreed so fast. The kids were young and energetic, so it was far from a quiet afternoon. Takatora and Yoshitsugu had no idea how to entertain them.

Then Yoshitsugu noticed the pond, and one sly smile later, Takatora's ice suddenly became very useful.

When Nagamasa and Oichi returned, they were eager to join the ice-skating party.

* * *

><p><strong>Recipe<strong>

It certainly wasn't the _worst_ thing Mitsuhide ever ate in his life. At the very least, it could still be _considered_ food.

With a pained expression, he met Gracia's expectant eyes.

"How did you say you made this?"

"Lord Motochika told me to read the recipe and then…" she grinned and pointed upwards, "REBEL!"

"I see." Mitsuhide expected as much, "Perhaps in the future you could _rebel_ against recipes _after_ first perfecting them." Gracia considered this thoughtfully as Mitsuhide stared at his daughter's creation, taking note to henceforth have her culinary endeavors heavily supervised.

And to kill Motochika for this.

* * *

><p><strong>Wild Souls<strong>

He was huge, majestic, wild, and Keiji was going to ride him through the fields if it was the last thing he did.

Climbing a pine and waiting for the horse to run by probably wasn't the best idea, but it was one Keiji hadn't yet tried.

He appeared.

Keiji jumped.

Perfect landing.

The black beauty protested loudly took off at an exhilarating speed, with Keiji cheering loudly.

When the horse finally stopped, they were both out of breath. Keiji climbed off, laid onto his back, and fell asleep right there.

When he woke up, the horse was still nearby.

* * *

><p><strong>Gift<strong>

Kenshin was calmly drinking sake when Aya summoned her beloved pupil to present a gift.

As she smiled pleasantly, Kenshin watched Kanetsugu unwrap the mysterious parcel, with some interest. He—stoic, serious _Kenshin_, nearly choked when he saw it.

It was a helmet... as only his sister could have designed.

"Wear it, Kanetsugu," Aya said, "And spread your love across the battlefield."

"I... I...," Kanetsugu lowered his head, stuttering. Kenshin frowned. This time, Aya had gone too far.

"I... LOVE IT!" Kanetsugu suddenly yelled and donned the helmet proudly.

Kenshin returned to his sake. He would never understand those two.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Thanks for reading :)

Writing Order: 21, 66, 53, 22, 56, 32, 63, 14, 62, 10

Some Notes:

"Festival I+II": This is the Sagicho Matsuri, which is apparently best described as crossdressing and setting giant floats on fire. Nobunaga was said to be a fan of this festival (and his 2nd Chronicle Mode event in SW4 references this) ;)

"Abridging": Alternate title: Sparknotes :P

"Pretend": Takahashi Joun is Muneshige's father who was killed in the battle against the Shimazu. In a pre-battle event in SW4, Joun tells him that he should lively solely for the Tachibana, not him. :(

"Babysitting": I really want to expand this one into a longer story *.*

I hope you liked these, and I'd love to hear any feedback :D


	4. Batch 4

**Role Reversal**

_This_… did not happen every day.

Masanori wasn't even sure it _ever_ happened before. There were countless incidents of _him_ getting drunk and needing Kiyomasa to guide him home, but when were their roles ever reversed?

"Jush ain't right," Kiyomasa slurred waving his arm wildly. Masanori pulled him back so he wouldn't fall over. "Should be me, yaknow?"

Masanori just agreed, not really sure what the rant was even about anymore. Kiyomasa cycled through all the usual topics several times already.

Was this what Kiyomasa went through with him regularly? Masanori suddenly found himself appreciating his friend's hardships much more.

* * *

><p><strong>Corruption<strong>

Oichi had a bad feeling about this. Whenever her sister-in-law sought her company, it never ended well. They didn't have much in common and Noh's cat-like smile wasn't making things any easier.

"You're going to be a married woman soon, Ichi." Oichi nodded cautiously. She was already nervous about that; she couldn't handle any teasing.

"You've really grown up nicely," Noh purred, "Listen closely, little sister. I'm going to teach you all those wonderful bedroom tricks you can use on your husband to make him putty in your hands."

Oichi's horrified screams were heard all throughout the castle that day.

* * *

><p><strong>Mentor<strong>

Goemon had to admit, for someone who wandered onto battlefields without a care in the world, and flirted with everyone she saw, Okuni was sharp.

Very, very sharp.

Goemon didn't even suspect anything at first. Sure a few things disappeared from his hideout, or turned up in places he swore he never put them, but Goemon was never the most organized thief in Japan, so he could accept a few oddities here and there.

And then he happened to witness Okuni conning an infamously corrupt merchant with _his_ tactics and _far_ more success.

He never felt more proud of her.

* * *

><p><strong>Nightmare<strong>

Nobuyuki woke with a start, gasping and shaking. Ina shot up as well and called out his name, concerned. As soon as he saw her, he grabbed her shoulders and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Oh thank god! You're… _you_!" he breathed out. Ina let him hold her as he recomposed himself.

Then he explained. "I had a terrible nightmare. I was at my marriage meeting with you—only it wasn't you, it was Nobunaga! And your—_his_ father was Mitsuhide. _And I was okay with that_!"

Ina edged away a little. Now she was going to have nightmares.

* * *

><p><strong>Long Way Back <strong>

Why did Kai ever think the trip back home would be like some sort of fairytale romance?

Sure Masamune had been pretty dashing when he rescued her from that crumbling castle, and he _did_ have a somewhat charming side… but why did Kai ever _ever_ think he was even _kinda_ cool?

"I'm telling you, if you'd gone left, it would have been a shortcut!"

"Shut up, Imbecile! I know what I'm doing!"

"Ugh! This is taking forever!"

"Well, maybe if _someone_ wasn't slowing down the horse so much…"

"_What_ did you say?"

It _really_ was no ride into the sunset.

* * *

><p><strong>Role Reversal II<strong>

Kuroda Kanbei did not get sick often. Contrary to his outward appearance, he actually knew how to take care of himself.

When it did happen though, Hanbei quickly took charge of everything. He took over all of his ailing friend's work, and tended to every one of Kanbei's needs. He did everything to ensure Kanbei's comfort.

Frankly, it was annoying, but admittedly it was also... _nice_ to have someone care so much.

But.

"I warned you this would happen," Kanbei said a few days later, laying a cool cloth on Hanbei's forehead.

Hanbei just smiled and hoarsely whispered, "Worth it."

* * *

><p><strong>Stowaway <strong>

Motochika was never going to be able to tease Mitsuhide about this again.

He certainly hadn't brushed off his friend's warnings about it. Motochika made sure to take every precautionary measure—he kept his destination secret, gave the wrong departure time, gave the wrong _port_—everything to keep his young ward at home, _where she was_ _supposed to stay_.

And yet, he still found himself staring down at her eager face as she sat in a crate on his ship.

"What are you doing here?" he tried his hardest not to sound exasperated.

Clearly, Gracia was not to be underestimated.

* * *

><p><strong>Combat <strong>

The battlefield was nothing like he'd expected. The samurai liked to think his training gave a good idea of what to expect, but he was swiftly proven wrong.

For starters, no one ever mentioned all those _weapons_!

The samurai had seen some really ridiculous tools in his battles. Flying compasses, glowing orbs, scarves, hula hoops and even a sitar!

What happened to good old swords and spears? Well, there were those too, but they had their own quirks like floating talismans or ice. Was he even _supposed_ to defend against that?

…At least there hadn't been any feathered fans yet.

* * *

><p><strong>Clumsy<strong>

"If you carry that many at once, you'll fall."

No sooner had Nobunaga said those words, Toshiie heard a loud crash and rushed over to find Ranmaru on the ground, several boxes of tangerines spilled around him. He watched Ranmaru apologize profusely and promise to clean everything up at once. Nobunaga just walked away chuckling.

Toshiie sighed and rushed over to help him out. "It's not like you to be such a klutz. Are you alright?"

Ranmaru shrugged, unaffected. "I fell on purpose. It's not my place to prove my Lord wrong."

Toshiie snorted and flung a tangerine at him.

* * *

><p><strong>Catch<strong>

"Lady Nene, _please_ be careful." Hanzo looked up at Mitsunari's exasperated words and immediately noticed the (self-proclaimed) ninja hopping branches in a very tall tree. Her three "children" stood close, readying to catch her should she fall.

Their fears weren't for naught. Nene lost her footing and began to fall, her shrill shriek echoing across the yard. At once the kids lunged.

_They'll miss_, Hanzo noted, and leapt himself.

He easily caught Nene and landed on his feet, while the trio fell in a heap behind him.

"Thank you Hanzo," she pat his head. Her children's envy radiated in waves.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: Thanks for reading. A lot of my favorites are in this batch :)

Writing Order: 29, 33, 17, 34, 35, 30, 27, 28, 75, 39

Some notes:

"Nightmare": This was based on the very bizarre Seiyuu event... yeah...

"Long Way Back": This is kinda like an epilogue to the SW3E Date Story. Despite my shipping preferences, this is probably the only time I'll ever write these two together though ^^"

"Clumsy": Apparently this one is based on a historical anecdote. This story (minus Toshiie) was mentioned in a translated Sengoku Basara 2 character bio/historical trivia thing. I say apparently though because some of the stuff mentioned in the trivia was a bit questionable... but this one was cute!

That's all for now. As always, I'd love to hear any feedback :)


	5. Batch 5

**Monkey**

It was a monkey holding a sword.

Munenori could only stare at first, wondering if this was someone's idea of a joke. What, did monkeys just randomly enter people's dojos, pick up their spare swords and start swinging them around wildly? And look so expectant?

"So… do you want to learn the Yagyu style of swordplay?" Munenori figured he might as well run with it for now. To his surprise, the monkey actually became a regular student… not only that, a prodigy!

Eventually Munenori decided to hire the monkey as a substitute instructor. He even named him after Nobunaga's own.

* * *

><p><strong>Dinner<strong>

Nene loved family dinners. There was nothing better than everyone gathered together.

Nene would've invited the whole army to eat with them, but space in the dining hall was limited so she had to settle for her closest family. For a time, it was perfect.

But then Hanbei fell ill and often had no appetite, Kanbei wouldn't show if he wasn't dragged, her husband grew old and weak, and then her kids couldn't stand to be near each other.

So Nene took her meals alone.

Funny how each new dining hall in each new castle was bigger than the last.

* * *

><p><strong>Blind Man's Bluff<strong>

As Mitsunari and Sakon rode through Nara, Sakon suddenly stopped beside a temple, and stared at it in a trance. When Mitsunari questioned him, he said solemnly,

"Listen to this story. There was once a blind monk who bore an uncanny resemblance to a sickly Lord. When the Lord died with his heir an infant, the monk was made to take his place until the boy grew up. What do you think happened afterwards?"

Mitsunari shrugged.

"The blind monk was returned to Nara," Sakon finished nonchalantly and continued onwards, leaving Mitsunari to wonder what that story was supposed to be.

* * *

><p><strong>Prince<strong>

He was her prince.

He was kind and gentle, and made her feel safe. Oichi had been nervous about marrying a man she'd never met for the sake of an alliance, but Azai Nagamasa proved to be a wonderful person who cared deeply for her.

He took her sightseeing around Omi when he wasn't busy, always brought her small gifts whenever he returned from his travels, and granted her all the freedoms she could possibly want.

Oichi truly loved him and would do anything for him. She would give anything for their happy peaceful days to continue for all eternity.

* * *

><p><strong>Knight<strong>

He wanted to be her knight.

Katsuie always cared deeply for his Lord's younger sister, and found comfort in her gentle smiles.

She hadn't smiled since the siege of Odani Castle.

Katsuie couldn't blame her. He couldn't comfort her either. Her husband's death was on his hands too.

But he could keep her safe. He wouldn't allow anyone else to use Oichi as a pawn (or anything else) and would do whatever it took to let her live peacefully—or as close to peacefully as possible anymore.

He couldn't make her smile, but he would protect her from further sorrow.

* * *

><p><strong>Flashy<strong>

They were certainly an army to remember.

As the Date army marched through Kyoto, every eye was fixated at the soldiers who stood tall, proud and… flashy.

The civilians had never seen such a spectacle before. No one would dare critique it, but they could not comprehend the mesh of black and gold before them.

At the head of the army, Masamune rode with his head held high. This was his army, his designs and he was proud to show them to the whole world.

Beside him, Kojuro refused to let his exasperation show. Masamune's tastes were beyond his comprehension.

* * *

><p><strong>The Crane<strong>

"Hanbei, wake up. I need advice," Tatsuoki snapped impatiently, barging into his retainer's room.

Hanbei groaned and opened one eye. "What is it?" In the dead of night, he wasn't getting up without a damn good reason.

"I dreamt about a ghostly crane," Tatsuoki explained, "What does it mean?"

"Cranes symbolize longevity and prosperity," Hanbei muttered sleepily, "Take it as you will."

Tatsuoki took it as a sign of the Saito's invincibility. Loudly.

Hanbei scowled. "They also symbolize fidelity. Maybe it's a sign to stop sleeping around so much."

Tatsuoki stomped away in a huff. Hanbei went back to sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>Sharing<strong>

Nobuyuki always took the smaller piece of everything, Yukimura noticed. Anytime they ate together, his brother always divided the portions such that Yukimura received the biggest piece.

Yukimura never complained, but he also had to wonder. Didn't his brother want more too?

One day, Nobuyuki brought over three pieces of dango for them to share. After they each had one, Nobuyuki cut the remaining one in half, uneven as always. Before he could give Yukimura the bigger piece though, his little brother grabbed the smaller one.

"Let's share like this today."

He didn't get why Nobuyuki was smiling so much.

* * *

><p><strong>Cats<strong>

Shimazu Yoshihiro's presence in the alliance was not welcome at all. Or it wouldn't be if Ginchiyo had had any say in it. Did Ishida seriously not have any issues with a guy who sided with him because his side was _weaker_? No ideals, no honor, just a risky _gamble_?

Yoshihiro needed to hurry up and retire already. How useful could a man his age be to their cause anyway? And the cats… wait, _cats_?

"You can pet them, Ginchiyo," he told her after the umpteenth time he caught her looking at them.

…Well, okay, the _cats_ weren't so bad.

* * *

><p><strong>Round Two<strong>

After the success of the "Sinister Beauties" competition, Koshosho was eager to organize another event. She already had a name for it: The All-Female Hot Spring Royal Rumble.

All she needed was an announcer (since Little Ran vehemently refused), and Koshosho knew just who to ask.

"Girls and Hot Springs? Count me in!" Hanbei's eyes were sparkling. Such a devious child. Koshosho would really have fun with him.

Unfortunately for her, Little Ran had some heavy reservations about Hanbei's involvement.

A few leaked words to the Demon King's wife, and the contest was over before it ever could take off.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: Thanks for reading. I can't believe we're up to fifty already ^^

Writing Order: 57, 36, 20, 45, 46, 72, 42, 55, 49, 50

Some Notes:

"Monkey": This is from SW4 Chronicle Mode. Munenori has a monkey named Hideyoshi. Go figure.

"Blind Man's Bluff": This is based on a true story. Tsutsui Junsho (whose clan Sakon served) was a sickly Lord who died when his son was an infant. To cover up his death (for the heir's protection) a blind monk who resembled him was used as a double for several years. After the son, Tsutsui Junkei took over, the monk went back to being an ordinary priest. Take it as you will...

"Flashy": Another historical story. The Date Army was know for flashiness!

"The Crane": This piece has nothing to do with my other fic. It was actually written much earlier, when I first heard about the SWC2 event and all I knew about it was that it involved a dream about a crane. So I looked up crane symbolism... and liked what I found :D

"Cats": I'm probably wrong about Yoshihiro's motives but that's the impression I got from Chronicles to be honest. To be fair, Ginchiyo's the viewpoint character in this one and she's biased!

"Round Two": The Natural Conclusion to the Sinister Beauties DLC :P (and the fact that this of all things was my actual 50th drabble makes me laugh)


	6. Batch 6

_Quick Note: "Encounter" is best read with the SW2-canon in mind _

* * *

><p><strong>Monkey II<strong>

Adopting Hideyoshi (the actual monkey) was the best decision Munenori ever made. Now he didn't have to close his dojo whenever he was too busy with other obligations. If he couldn't accept a challenge, Hideyoshi would, and he'd win too! (And it wasn't because his opponent couldn't fight a monkey. The monkey knew when he wasn't being taken seriously and wouldn't fight then.)

And as luck would have it, Musashi came calling one day, eager to assert his swordsmanship's superiority again. Munenori sent Hideyoshi to deal with him.

It became one of those things no one ever talked about again.

* * *

><p><strong>Alliance<strong>

Well they were certainly an odd group of allies.

Hisahide took in the colorful bunch that had heeded his call to take down the upstart Oda Nobunaga with a smirk.

There was the Saito Clan with its drunkard Lord and smart-mouthed kid strategist.

There was the Kodera Clan represented by its ghost of a strategist.

The was the Miyoshi Clan led by the alluring woman who knew each member of the clan _intimately_.

And then there was him: Matsunaga Hisahide, the Villain of the Sengoku Era!

(And there was also his retainer Munenori.)

Hisahide smirked. They might accomplish something, anyway.

* * *

><p><strong>Seduction<strong>

Koshosho liked to think her charms worked on all foolish men (Motochika wasn't a fool, so he didn't count). However, one day, she learned she was _very_ wrong…

"What are you blathering about? I don't have time for your nonsense, you old bat." Mitsunari got to see Koshosho's ugly side for his trouble.

"You need my help? Sure, I guess." Yukimura was a sweet soul, but her flirting went over his head entirely.

"Don't worry fair lady! HONOR shall guide your way!" Kanetsugu was… okay, Koshosho didn't even know _how_ to explain that one.

Well… they were cute, she supposed.

* * *

><p><strong>Tears<strong>

As a child, Hanbei was a huge crybaby, so growing up, he vowed to become a real man who never cried. Though his physical appearance never changed much, he stayed true to his word. The last time he ever shed tears was at Saito Dosan's funeral. He was twelve.

In adulthood, Hanbei faced many things that tore at his heart—the end of the Saito, the loss of the Lady Noh he knew, the endless battles, his own rapidly declining health—but he kept his promise and refused to cry.

How could he… when those around him braved everything stoically?

* * *

><p><strong>Promises<strong>

Ina should have been more careful with her words. She was only teasing when she said it, but apparently kids took little jokes like that very seriously… and warped them.

In truth, she'd forgotten it entirely. She couldn't be expected to remember every little thing she ever said.

But she _really _shouldn't have forgotten this one. If she hadn't, she wouldn't have gaped like a fish when Toramatsu (Naomasa, now) suddenly approached her, _in front of everyone,_ and said, "Am I someone worthy of marrying you yet?"

It took her a week to convince everyone she'd said "someone _like_ her."

* * *

><p><strong>Encounter<strong>

Many years, many battles, many fallen comrades. Magoichi would never let himself forget but his work didn't let him dwell too much.

He never failed to visit Honnouji though. There wasn't a particular reason (not guilt definitely), but he felt he had to keep coming.

Once, he wasn't alone. A priest with a half-covered face stood by the temple when Magoichi approached. His eyes were familiar.

"Terrible tragedy," he muttered.

"Yeah," Magoichi agreed. They didn't speak after that, but when the priest turned to leave, Magoichi added, "I'm Magoichi." He wasn't sure why he said it. The priest nodded.

"Tenkai."

* * *

><p><strong>Boundaries<strong>

Hideyoshi was really excited to have Lady Kai under his wing. She was beautiful, feisty and (dare he think it) _sensuous_.

The first time he visited her in her room though, he was shocked to find Nene already there.

"Hi, Darling," Nene said cheerfully, "Kai asked me to help her settle in a little."

"Hello Lord Hideyoshi, what brings you here?" Kai's voice and smile were gentle but the look in her eyes coldly read, "Touch me, and you _will_ regret it."

Hideyoshi laughed nervously and went on his way. Maybe it would be better to send her to Ueda…

* * *

><p><strong>Stowaway II<strong>

Hosokawa Tadaoki was furious. No more than that, he was _insulted._

He had been warned about his wife's habit of stowing away, and like all of her previous caretakers, went to great lengths to ensure it didn't happen.

_Unlike_ all of her previous caretakers, Tadaoki was _successful_.

When he came home following that non-incident, he confronted Gracia about it immediately.

She gave him a pouting look. "But my Lord, you said you didn't want me to tag along. You were so adamant about it."

Tadaoki didn't know how to say he'd been looking forward to discovering her on his ship.

* * *

><p><strong>Map<strong>

Ranmaru was tending to the flowers in Azuchi's garden when he first noticed Hanbei wandering the hall. He thought nothing of it when Hanbei passed by him with a parchment in hand, and paid no mind when it happened again a little later.

It was only after the fifth time that Ranmaru finally took interest. Hanbei's expression read perplexity and he turned over the paper in his hand as if that affected its reading.

Ranmaru stared, incredulous. Was it even possible that someone of Hanbei's intellect and _occupation_ couldn't…

The curiosity was just too much.

"Lord Hanbei… are you _lost_?"

* * *

><p><strong>Salutation<strong>

Kagekatsu read the letter before him impressed. It was hard to believe given his retainer's usual behavior, but Kanetsugu really had a way with words. The letter he wrote to Ieyasu was very formal and professional but just with that touch of ribbing insult that would make his blood boil.

It was missing a bit of a personal touch though.

"Needs more… _oomph_ to it," Kagekatsu explained and wrote a few words on a different scroll. "Add this."

Kanetsugu glanced at the writing and his face broke into a devilish grin.

"Dear Villainous Swine Who Will Perish For his Dishonor…"

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: Thanks for reading. :)

Writing Order: 58, 51, 52, 8, 54, 61, 37, 64, 13, 69

Notes:

"Promises": Fun Fact: This was written before Naomasa's announcement. Another fun fact: Ii Naomasa was born over a decade before Ina. Ages in SW are a lovely thing...

"Encounter": In SW2, Magoichi is actually the one who kills Nobunaga at Honnouji in both his _and_ Mitsuhide's story (and presumably others). Though he hates Nobunaga with a passion, he is really conflicted about killing him because of the chaos that follows Nobunaga's death... Mago's story is one of my favorite SW2 stories to be honest :)

"Boundaries": In history, Kaihime was one of Hideyoshi's concubines. In SW, I'd like to think she'd like to see him try.

"Map": I have a weird headcanon that Hanbei, despite everything, is actually really bad at reading maps ^^"

"Salutation": I'm not sorry! Also, I highly recommend reading the real Naoe Letter. It's a really interesting read.


	7. Batch 7

**Perception**

How would history remember him? Would he be the vile villain of the Warring States period? Or would Nobunaga's own tyranny cast him in the role of the heroic rebel instead?

It was an interesting question to be sure and Hisahide greatly wanted to know its answer.

History was decided by the winners and for now, Nobunaga was winning. But Nobunaga's reign would end; then what?

"Perhaps in time, I will become the Hero of the Warring States," he posed the question to Motonari, whose only answer was a drawn out silence.

Hisahide laughed. No, he truly was the Villain.

* * *

><p><strong>Cookies<strong>

Kagetora stared at the small bag of cookies in front of him. They were a gift from Kagekatsu, and while they certainly _looked_ harmless, Kagetora had his reservations.

Lady Aya's cooking looked harmless too. In fact it was very beautiful and appetizing, so long as you weren't actually eating it. And it tended to have some strange effects on people…

(Kagetora was beginning to wonder if Kanetsugu wasn't actually one of her failed experiments.)

But Kagekatsu's cookies… he didn't think such an intimidating guy would have such a domestic side. Cautiously, he put one in his mouth.

It was delicious!

* * *

><p><strong>Duty<strong>

It was over. He did what his young Lord had asked.

Kojuro was still shaking. The deed had long been done, but his breath was still ragged and his fingers were still wrapped around the small bloodied knife. He couldn't let go.

The boy lay on his side, a wet red rag pressed firmly against his eye socket. He hadn't cried through the procedure. Or yelled.

He hadn't stirred since Kojuro finished though. Kojuro wouldn't calm down until he did. He had to know he was alright.

"Kojuro," a weak hoarse voice suddenly whispered, "Thank… you…"

Kojuro's grip finally relaxed.

* * *

><p><strong>Cheating<strong>

Never underestimate a ninja.

Shingen, despite his fearsome reputation, was close with his young retainers and enjoyed teasing them. As such, as their teacher, he would surprise them with written tests when he felt the situation called for it.

Kunoichi hated tests. She rarely paid attention in Shingen's class, but punishment for poor grades was... unpleasant. Luckily for her, she had a wide array of ninja arts at her disposal, so acing Shingen's tests wasn't a challenge.

Unluckily for her, when she got her test back, there was a big zero and a note that read,

Never underestimate a strategist.

* * *

><p><strong>Petty<strong>

Samurai were so petty. They wielded their swords for power, status, show, and when they felt like being particularly hypocritical, for protecting their loved ones.

Such sentiments were petty. A sword was nothing more than a tool for killing. In what everyone liked to call turbulent times, if you weren't one of those high-class conquerors, you were a target.

Kojiro's sword was for survival. He couldn't stand to deal with flashy warriors who preached honor and justice.

Musashi didn't mince his words. He didn't treat a sword as anything other than what it was.

And that's why he wasn't petty.

* * *

><p><strong>Incident<strong>

To be fair, she knew the string was old, worn out, and liable to snap at any time. In her defense though, she didn't know that it would snap at _that moment_, at _that angle_ and send the kendama's ball _directly_ at her sister-in-law's head.

Or that it would actually hit.

"IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!" Oichi cried as she ran for her life in the face of Noh's relentless pursuit.

In his room, Nobunaga heard the commotion and froze in the middle of his writing.

It was the only time in his life that Ranmaru saw his Lord so perturbed.

* * *

><p><strong>Hair<strong>

It was no secret that Mitsuhide was very proud of his long silky hair. It was also no secret that the easiest way to anger him was to mess with this vanity.

What was a secret though, was that one person had free reign.

Mitsuhide sat calmly as Gracia hovered over him, brush in hand. He meditated quietly as she worked, mainly because he preferred not to know what she doing. It was easier to endure that way.

"Finished!" Gracia declared, handing him the mirror. "Well?"

Mitsuhide took one look and grimaced.

"I think pigtails would look better on you."

* * *

><p><strong>Understanding<strong>

"I know he's waiting for a moment to betray us."

"How long before he decides we're "sparks" to "extinguish"?"

Kanbei was used to hearing unflattering gossip, and, simply put, he didn't care. He'd been hired as a strategist to win battles efficiently not to make friends. If people preferred to avoid him, that was better for him. He wasn't a potential usurper, but if they wanted to think that, who was he to stop them?

Besides.

Kanbei looked at the war fan he'd received as a gift. There was a person who understood him once. That was enough for him.

* * *

><p><strong>Courier<strong>

Kotaro would probably be killed if he were caught doing this. Oh well, that only made the whole endeavor more fun.

He stayed hidden while Hayakawa finished penning her latest letter, as always revealing far more than Ieyasu would have allowed. But that was alright. There would be no point in Kotaro's services otherwise.

"I'm finished now," she said warmly, handing him the envelope, "Please deliver this to Kai."

He vanished. Carrying letters for those young pups was his only task these days, but soon the chaos would return, and so would his preferred work. Until then, it was fine.

* * *

><p><strong>The Slayers<strong>

A stage show for the village children probably wasn't the _worst_ idea Kanetsugu ever had, but all things considered, it was not one that would be repeated.

It all started off fine, right up until the hired stage troupe went on strike.

Luckily(?), the troupe's leader, Okuni, had a backup script prepared and she was _very _eager to make it work.

The resulting show was a gripping(?) adventure-comedy starring Kai the bandit-slaying bear princess, Yukimura the spearman of light, Kanetsugu the ally of justice, and Mitsunari the human-Kitsune hybrid on their misadventures of mass destruction.

…It was a smash hit.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Thanks for reading :)

Writing Order: 82, 71, 74, 94, 67, 85, 84, 40, 38, 65

Some Notes...I actually don't have much to say this time o.o"

"Understanding": The war fan is an item Kanbei mentions getting from Hanbei in a seiyuu event, but interestingly enough that also happens in the NHK drama "Gunshi Kanbei" ^^

"The Slayers": I finally got to make a pseudo-parody of this! The Slayers is a fun 90s anime (adapted from light novels) and Kai's seiyuu Masami Suzuki voiced one of the main characters: a very hammy justice obsessed princess. Kanetsugu reminds me of her ^^

So yep, until next time. As always, I'd really appreciate any feedback :)


	8. Batch 8

**Mountains**

Gracia moved quickly through the mountain, a determined look in her eye. This wasn't her first outing, so she knew exactly where to go and what to listen for. She didn't have much time today though. The weather had been getting colder recently, so time was even more of the essence.

Finally, she heard a cry and rushed to its source. The small, frail-looking child stared at her frightened.

Gracia held out her hand, smiling sadly. "It's okay now," she said gently, "I'll take you to the church. They'll take care of you."

The child nodded and took her hand.

* * *

><p><strong>Tea <strong>

Kanetsugu, for all of his talk of samurai honor and justice, was not a fan of ceremony. He simply failed to see any purpose in high-class frivolity for men who showed their refinement through battle. Unfortunately for him, with Mitsunari as one of his closest friends, he had no choice but to occasionally partake in (what he considered) banal activities.

Like this tea ceremony.

"Wait, you fool!" Mitsunari scolded, "You're not holding the cup correctly. Pay attention to what I'm showing you."

Kanetsugu sighed but watched closely. Yukimura (despite being well-versed in etiquette himself) just gave him a sympathetic smile.

* * *

><p><strong>Voice<strong>

Ujiyasu definitely heard it. One moment his eccentric brother-in-law was rambling incessantly about kemari in his usual high-pitched voice, and then suddenly it was low and demonic. Ujiyasu dropped his pipe in shock.

Even more shocking though was that Yoshimoto went back to normal in an instant. And only Ujiyasu noticed the change!

Hayakawa just continued nodding at her beloved uncle's words. Narita's brat continued dreamily staring out the window. And Kotaro…

Ujiyasu would have brushed it off as his ninja's tricks, but Kotaro had been sent on a long term assignment just the day before.

So… what was that?

* * *

><p><strong>Fine Dining<strong>

Masamune was an avid fan of cooking. It was one of his hobbies that few really understood but knew better than to comment on, especially when they were on the receiving end of his hospitality.

Ieyasu was always very specific about his food. He preferred simple meals served at specific times and rarely let himself break his schedule. However, even he couldn't help but heap praises on Masamune's creations and never refused an invitation to dine.

Masamune never outwardly showed it, but Ieyasu's lavish praises made his heart fill with pride.

The old tanuki really wasn't so bad after all.

* * *

><p><strong>Shame<strong>

Kunoichi had been eagerly rummaging through Kai's fashionable closet when she found it. A gaudy, flashy, shameful excuse for a dress tucked in the deepest darkest corner of the wardrobe, never to be seen again.

She was still holding it in disgust when Kai walked in, and upon seeing that thing (that she _swore_ she'd burned), Kai turned the brightest shade of red Kunoichi had ever seen and screamed in pure horror.

Then, _of course_, Yukimura ran in concerned and as soon his eyes landed on _it_, Kai's embarrassment reached new limits.

She wouldn't leave her room for a week.

* * *

><p><strong>Weapon II<strong>

Once upon a time, Takeda Shingen used a sword in battle. Then came Kawanakajima, the first time he faced the man who would become his greatest rival. Kenshin's tactics and strength made for a long, difficult battle, which Shingen enjoyed immensely.

But what would make that battle the start of a beautiful rivalry, was a slight oversight on Shingen's part. His sword had been damaged and he'd just reached his command center when Kenshin appeared, sword aimed to kill. Without thinking, Shingen grabbed his war fan and deflected the attack, leaving his enemy thoroughly impressed.

Shingen found a new weapon.

* * *

><p><strong>Compass<strong>

Noh meant it as a joke. She had only been referring to Hanbei's getting lost in the castle when she teased that he would one day find himself lost in the mountains. She had no idea her comment would upset him to the point of illness.

But as it were, she felt bad. She thought long and hard about how to cheer him up, and then the answer came to her in a novelty shop.

"Here," she showed him the giant compass, "Now even if you get lost, you'll always find your way back to us."

That did the trick.

* * *

><p><strong>Ninja<strong>

There were three parts to a ninja: stealth, subtlety, suppression.

Goemon didn't believe in stealth. He'd always been as quiet as the cannon on his back (though not even the top Iga ninjas could track him down after his escape).

Kotaro didn't believe in subtlety. He believed in chaos and playing with his targets' minds (though he knew just which subtle points would unravel his targets).

Kunoichi didn't believe in suppression. She lived by her emotions, despite the pain they brought (though none could match her in willpower).

Hanzo believed in all three. Yet he wouldn't dispute the others' capabilities.

* * *

><p><strong>Family Feud<strong>

Kagetora should have been warned about this.

Kagekatsu could only look on in sympathetic silence as his adopted brother found himself trapped in the middle of one of Aya and Kenshin's infamous family squabbles. The poor soul had been completely unprepared and was quickly reduced to an exhausted trembling wreck. He had lasted longer than most though. Only Kanetsugu (who _still_ hadn't learned his lesson) had him beat.

The next time it happened though, Kagetora wised up and readily let Kagekatsu take him out for some combat practice _anywhere_ outside the castle.

(As for Kanetsugu, he was on his own.)

* * *

><p><strong>Relations<strong>

"Say Mitsuhide, do you know the name Ishigai Yoritoki?" Motochika asked one day with a frown.

"Yes, he serves my family. Why?"

"Is there anything else you can tell me?" Motochika pressed, "About his family?"

"He married my sister," Mitsuhide frowned, "What's wrong?"

Motochika wouldn't meet his eyes. "I was investigating that temptress from the last battle and…" he looked like he was struggling not to smirk, "I heard some rumors, read some records and… Mitsuhide. I think that woman… is your _niece_."

It later turned out to be untrue, but Mitsuhide still lost many nights of sleep over it.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Sorry for the delay. Thanks for reading :)

Writing Order: 79, 25, 73, 68, 95, 81, 89, 44, 70, 41

Some notes:

"Mountains": I recently read a novel about Gracia and finding abandoned kids is something that her maid does regularly in the book. Missionaries did build orphanages alongside churches from what I know, so I'm calling this a historical piece.

"Shame": In Chronicles, there's an event where Hideyoshi gives Kai a skimpy flashy outfit and she is not amused in the slightest. ...Sometimes I wonder if Hideyoshi is working for Koei these days.

"Ninja": I feel bad for putting Goemon over Nene but... not enough words. (Nene would fall under "none of the above" to round out Hanzo's "all of the above")

"Relations": It's not true in the games since SW4 Koshosho is the daughter of a Shikoku Warlord, but historically, this is one of the possible origins for her :)


	9. Batch 9

**Power Struggle**

"So that's it then?" Kiyomasa asked somberly, "Nothing we say will get you to join us?"

Mitsunari scowled. "You would betray Lord Hideyoshi at a time like this? Fools!"

"Hey Big-Head," Masanori piped in, "This ain't about betrayal, it's about self-preservation. The difference in strength is too obvious here."

"Not to mention, who's in the right," Kiyomasa reminded him, "Think, Mitsunari. Can you really survive the aftermath?"

Mitsunari thought it over carefully, and, to Kiyomasa and Masanori's relief, relented with a shudder.

With his retainers firmly supporting the other side, Hideyoshi had no choice but concede the argument to Nene.

* * *

><p><strong>Boating<strong>

"What's that one called?" Gracia leaned over, pointing at her latest find.

"You're shaking the boat," Motochika chided before answering, "That's a starfish."

Gracia's eyes sparkled, making Motochika smile. If he had known earlier that Mitsuhide's daughter was so fond of boats, he would have taken her out sooner.

Gracia kept moving about to point out various creatures, causing the small boat to shake heavily despite Motochika's repeated warnings. Suddenly, she leaned out too far and before he could react, the boat tipped over, sending them both into the lake.

Gracia smiled sheepishly. Motochika just chuckled and pat her head.

* * *

><p><strong>Medicine<strong>

Kanbei knew that he was far too pale and ghostly looking. But no matter how many times he would tell people it was his natural pallor, he would always receive concerned stares and health tips. He learned to ignore it.

He was surprised though when Ieyasu suddenly approached him and gave him a medicine he'd compounded himself. Kanbei didn't even get the chance to say his usual line, for Ieyasu took his leave far too quickly.

He was grateful for the medicine though. It was useless for him, but it proved very effective for the one who actually needed it.

* * *

><p><strong>Costume<strong>

"What are you wearing?" Keiji stared at Goemon's new outfit with all its ruffles in shock. It looked very tight and restrictive, a far cry from the thief's usual threads. And more interestingly, his cannon had been swapped out for a giant trombone.

"It's the latest fashion among the foreigners," Goemon remarked smugly, eyes firmly on the approaching Okuni.

"Hello boys... Goemon, what are you wearing?" Goemon repeated his explanation far more enthusiastically and eagerly offered her a matching costume he happened to have in her size. To Keiji's surprise, she accepted.

He greatly enjoyed the new play it inspired.

* * *

><p><strong>Books<strong>

Was there a rule that said strategists had to be comically disorganized? Kanbei always kept his workplace nice and neat but he was evidentally the exception.

Hanbei's room wasn't too bad if he thought about it, but his desk and shelves were overflowing with books, and he never seemed to notice there was no room for more.

Takakage's room was far worse. At least Hanbei had kept his books on shelves. Really, was there even a _need_ for so many books?

"You haven't seen anything yet," Takakage laughed, and invited him to see Motonari's study.

Kanbei didn't doubt Takakage again.

* * *

><p><strong>Godmother<strong>

Kiyomasa quickly noticed. He didn't say anything, but he nervously wondered how long until Lady Chacha noticed as well. Lady Nene may have been a ninja, but she wasn't very stealthy. If she were caught, there would be a scandal.

Kiyomasa knew why she was there. She wanted to see her dear husband's child—the child that _should_ have been her's—too.

Kiyomasa couldn't comfort her, but he could grant her this one wish.

"Lady Chacha, perhaps you would like a walk in the garden?" The distraction would only last a few moments, but Kiyomasa hoped that would be enough.

* * *

><p><strong>Kids <strong>

Mitsunari hated him from the outset. Ieyasu wasn't sure what he'd done to earn such strong distrust from the child, but it troubled him.

Ieyasu was always fond of children and he liked to think they were okay with him too. Tadakatsu's young daughter was already promising to protect him in battle, and Mitsunari's two friends, though not actively seeking his company the way they did Hideyoshi's, were courteous enough and liked to hear any stories he would share.

But Mitsunari… as soon as he saw him, he'd scowl and run.

"He's just shy," Nene insisted.

Ieyasu certainly hoped so.

* * *

><p><strong>Treasure<strong>

Takatora once gave Nagamasa a hand towel. He once saw that his Lord was in need of one after a battle and he happened to have a spare that he'd never used before.

He saw Nagamasa using it a few times after that, and it almost made Takatora's heart swell with pride.

But somehow that hand towel lasted far longer than any of Takatora's ever did. When he finally worked up the nerve to ask about it, Nagamasa laughed and said,

"It was an important gift from an important retainer. Of course, I'd treasure it."

Nagamasa truly was the greatest.

* * *

><p><strong>Mirror<strong>

Naotora didn't know what Kai wanted to show her in the woods, but she couldn't help but be nervous and suspiciously wonder if it was some kind of cruel trick.

Then Kai revealed a large mirror she had hidden in the trees.

"I come out here whenever I need some reassurance," Kai explained, "So Nao-chin, stand over here and shout "I'm strong!" and "I'm beautiful!" until you truly believe it."

Naotora's first attempts were pathetic tearful stutters. But with Kai's support, it slowly became easier. Naotora hoped to have enough confidence one day to proudly thank Kai for her kindness.

* * *

><p><strong>Miss Mystery<strong>

Munenori had no idea what sort of can of worms he was opening with his question. He'd only meant to resolve a longstanding, somewhat comical issue he'd been having with Mitsuhide's young daughter and he figured, who better to ask than her guardians.

He didn't expect his question to make Motochika and Koshosho suddenly freeze in their tracks and be overcome with dread.

"You… don't know either?" Munenori guessed with a weary sigh. They shook their heads very slowly.

"Koshosho," Motochika broke the uneasy silence, "Have her write a letter, and pay close attention to how she _signs her name_."

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: Thanks for reading :)

Writing Order: 91, 88, 76, 93, 77, 78, 23, 47, 90, 86

Some Notes:

Costume: If you have never seen Goemon's alternate SW1 costume, do yourself a favor and look up Goemon's alternate SW1 costume! :D

Miss Mystery: Title unapologetically taken from a Detective Conan Opening Song. But um anyway, Gracia didn't convert to Christianity until after Hideyoshi had become Taiko so the girl hiding in boxes and stowing away on her dad's boats should be going by the name Tama. But aside from Hashiba-Toyotomi and Masanori calling Mitsunari "Sakichi" in one battle chatter, Koei doesn't really reference name changes, so Gracia just goes nameless outside of menus. In SW4, there's a small running joke with her wanting Munenori to call her by name... which she never told him, so I ran with that a little ^^"


	10. Batch 10

**Mimicry**

It was a little known fact that Kotaro was good at vocal impersonations. As soon as Kai found out, she became a constant thorn in his side eager to hear it for herself.

Her pestering continued until Ujiyasu finally had enough and ordered his ninja to demonstrate.

Kotaro obliged. He turned away from them, cleared his throat, and suddenly there was an all too familiar shout,

"IMBECILES! I AM THE ONE-EYED DRAGON WHO RULES THIS LAND!"

Then Kotaro faced them once more, reveling in their stunned faces.

Kai burst out laughing. Ujiyasu nodded appreciatively. "Very nice. Never do that again."

* * *

><p><strong>Bygones<strong>

The temple was filled with women, all wives, sisters and daughters of the fallen Western Army. Nene received each of them warmly, taking care to make sure everyone was settled in as comfortably as possible. The Battle of Sekigahara had taken its toll on everyone, but this was to be a safe space. Nene would take care of them.

As she wandered the halls, an unexpected figure suddenly approached her and Nene was momentarily at a loss for words.

"Is there… room for one more?" Lady Yodo—no Chacha, asked with a tearful smile.

Nene squeezed her hand.

"Of course."

* * *

><p><strong>River<strong>

Yoshitsugu was like a river. He was perfectly content going wherever the current took him and didn't think about challenging it.

Once he was approached by a concerned Lady Oichi, who shyly told him, "Yoshitsugu, I know this is not my place, but I don't think it's good to always quietly go with the flow. I feel I used to be like that and was much lonelier then."

Yoshitsugu wasn't sure how deeply he took her words to heart, but when he met Mitsunari, he learned there were things worth fighting the current for.

His world did seem to brighten.

* * *

><p><strong>Siege<strong>

Besieging a castle was a tedious process. It wasn't so much the constant presence or the omnipresent on-edge feeling that battle could commence at any time that was a problem, but rather the real tedium, for Mitsunari at least, was the idiocy within his own camp.

Yes, waiting was boring, and _yes_, Lord Hideyoshi was awaiting their victory, but, really, taking a fortress like Odawara took _time_. Time that was needed for diligence and training—_not wanton hedonism!_

"And where do you think you're going?" Mitsunari demanded icily.

Without missing a beat, Sakon answered, "Chaperoning."

His smile wasn't fooling anyone.

* * *

><p><strong>Tutor<strong>

Hanbei was a tough teacher. Despite his laidback attitude, he was a genius on a whole different level, so it made sense that as a teacher he would be very thorough with his material.

Kiyomasa just wished his lectures were a little easier to understand. Hanbei would happily explain things as many times as needed, but with every successive explanation, his words became blunter. It made Kiyomasa uncomfortable.

With a sheepish sigh, he knocked on a certain door once again. Kanbei glanced at the book in his hands, and nodded. Despite his harsh attitude, he was a very patient tutor.

* * *

><p><strong>Misery<strong>

It was no secret that Mitushide was an absolute master of the kicked puppy look (whether he was aware of it or not) but after knowing him long enough, one could learn to (more or less) ignore it.

Of course, when he took to locking himself in his room like a moody child, it became a little worrying.

It took Noh to finally drag _it_ out of him. The others waited expectantly as she used all her charm, wisdom, and venom to learn what ailed her old friend so.

Afterwards, she explained through gritted teeth.

"He found a grey hair."

* * *

><p><strong>Visitor<strong>

Kojiro met her in the mountains of Mitono—the strange young woman with the same wretched fate as his. The girl confined to a small hut with few visitors and fewer freedoms.

She would often sit by the window and stare outside. Slowly a sort of acquaintanceship began to form between them. She gave him sweets and Kojiro told her news of the outside world.

It continued too long. The girl's spirit risked crumbling.

"You'll be happier if you give in to madness," he finally told her.

She shook her head firmly. "I won't lose faith."

He didn't visit again.

* * *

><p><strong>The Scroll<strong>

Once, Hanzo was tasked with retrieving an important ninja scroll that had been stolen by a deserter. It was also at that time that he'd become acquainted with Nene, a misguided young woman who wished to become a ninja.

When Hanzo tracked down the deserter, he discovered the scroll in his possession was but a simple recipe book. Later, he learned that through a series of ridiculous coincidences, the _real_ scroll had fallen into Nene's hands and she'd _mastered_ its highly advanced Shadow Clone technique in the short time she'd had it.

No one could dissuade her self-proclaimed ninja title.

* * *

><p><strong>Meditation<strong>

There were many things one could fault Hidetada for. He was brash, he was arrogant, he pitched a fit if the slightest thing was off…

Tadakatsu didn't know where things had gone so wrong. Ieyasu possessed so many outstanding qualities that it was truly tragic that they failed to resonate in his son. As it were, Hidetada had his good points, but they were buried under so many layers of arrogance, that they were hard to even imagine.

Still there was one thing Tadakatsu was grateful to him for.

Listening to Hidetada preen made for an excellent lesson in _patience_.

* * *

><p><strong>History<strong>

The Sengoku Era.

The turbulent era of power, glory, and honor.

In the crimson fields of Osaka, the girl danced across the battleground, her companion following closely.

"What shall you do now, Motonari?" Okuni asked, "Your book is finished now, yes?"

"Indeed," Motonari chuckled sadly, "Though I long to pen the next volume as well, I believe my time is up. And you?"

Okuni stopped in front of the last hero. He had been waiting for her.

"If the new era calls me, I'll answer. But now," she smiled, "Will you accompany me to Izumo?"

The Sengoku Era… was over.

* * *

><p>AN: And. We. Are. FINISHED! :D

Writing Order: 97, 80, 96, 98, 83, 99, 87, 92, 101, 100 (101 exists because I wanted Hidetada included in some way (since Naomasa and Hideyori were _technically_ included...), and drabble #12 was cut for depending on something obscure...)

Anyway, some notes ;)

"Mimicry": Masamune and Kotaro have the same voice actor: Nobuyuki Hiyama. Masamune is a typical Nobuyuki Hiyama role. Kotaro... isn't. And here's a fun fact: originally I wanted to make this joke with Kanbei talking like _Kanetsugu. _(But I'd already joked about their shared seiyuu in Batch 1 :P)

"Siege": This one is dedicated to the lovely FlaxenHairedSamurai as it is the product of our joking around about what the young warriors were doing in the 3 month siege on Odawara in the anime. Our answer: driving Mitsunari up a wall.

"Misery": And this one is dedicated to the lovely Ryujin Mei for inspiring it in a review :D

"The Scroll": If any of this one sounds familiar, it's a very abridged version of the first chapter of Naruto. Nene _is_ an orange-wearing energetic ninja who happens to specialize in Shadow Clones after all...

And um yeah, that's it. Thank you to everyone who read, reviewed, faved, alerted, kudos'd, liked, etc, etc. You're feedback, likes and faves mean a lot to me and I hope you enjoyed reading these drabbles as much as I enjoyed writing them. Thank you :D

(I wonder if I can say I've written 100 SW stories now heehee)


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